The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-10
waRNINo TO FARMERS.
The Latest Dodge Devised for the Purpose
of Swindling Agricuiturists.


The Latest Dodge Devised for the Purpose
of swindling Agricuiturists.
The confidence man who lies in wait
for the unsuspecting farmer is a versa
tile being who does not confine him
self to traffic in lightning rods or Bo-
hemian oats, but resorts to other
methods when conditions seem favora-
BILE. A pair of these plausible rascals
have lately been endeavoring to prac-
tice their profession in Wayne County,
Ind. In the course of their peregrina-
tiOns, one in the guise of a wealthy
citizen from Virginia called upon Mr..
Isaac DOddridge, a well-known and
well-tO-dO farmer of that county, and
represented himself as DESTROYS of
purchasing a stock farm for his son.
He wanted 4 large farm, would not be
a stickler as to price, would pay cash.
and was favorably impressed with the
land which Mr.. Doddridge owned.
After some chaffering an engagement
was made to look over the ground on the
following day, and at the hour appointed
the wealthy stranger was on hand
with horse and wagon. He proposed
that they go first to a remote part of
the land, and Mr.. Doddridge, suspect
ing nothing wrong of a gentleman so
affable and apparently prosperous,
readily consented, remembering later,
however, that the tract in question was
distant from the public highway and
from neighbors. As they were about
| to turn into these fields a second
stranger, in a light wagon, came driv-
ing up rapidly and hailed them, but
upon receiving Mr.. Doddridge's assur-
ance that he did not know the man,
stranger No. : said that as he himself
never saw him before the business
could not be important, and they would
drive on. On arrival at retired spot,
it was found that stranger No. 2 had
| followed them. He introduced him
self as an advertising agent of South
ern lottery, and that he was not selling
tickets, but merely wished to secure
the names of two or three responsible
men in each county, who would be al
lowed to draw large prizes simply on
the fact that they publish the fact in
the papers. Then, with charts and
papers, he undertook to show the fair
method in which the lottery was
operated and the impossibility of
fraud in its workings. Stranger No.
1 become deeply interested in the
scheme, and when it was presently
proposed that they try their luck then
and there, readily agreed, and on the
first trial drew S., which he was al
lowed to keep on condition that he
would show an equal amount. Mr..
Doddridge, having been a reader of the
papers to some purpose, had before
this time realized the situation, but be-
lieving silence to be the part of discre-
ton, offered no objection when urged
to try his chances and laid down S.,
taking pains at the same time to show
that this, with little change, was all
the money in his pocket-book. The
first stranger then drew IS, 800, and on
exhibiting some 81, 900 or $1,000 of his
own, received the prize. Mr.. bod
bridge then drew So, 500, also, but upon
his assurance that he had not an equal
! sum npOn his person to show,
disappointment was visible in the
faces of both strangers. He was urged
to give check, but protested that he
had no blanks. 1t was then arranged
that he drive to Richmond with the
wealthy Virginian, draw the money
and return to the place where they then
were, the second stranger to remain in
waiting. Up to this time Mr.. bod
bridge had expressed no doubts, but
his silence and hesitation had probably
aroused his companions suspicious,
as before arriving at a village in the
vicinity, and at which place MIR. bod
bridge hoped to secure the arrest of
the rascal with him, this "man of
wealth. suddenly decided to go no
further, said he believed the thing was
fraud, and that he would 90 back
and return the cash he had drawn and
have no more to do with the matter.
Mr.. Doddrige willingly assented, was
set down at his own door, and now
congratulates himself that his lack of
ready money at a critical time saved
him from assault and perhaps saved
his life. The rascals on this occasion
made a mistake in selecting their vic
tim, as it is not part of their scheme
to waste time on men who read the
newspapers and are posted as to the
ways that are dark of the confidence
gentry In these days when gas bOoms
{ are ION, and the rural citizen, as well
as the dwelIer in the city, is excited
by hopes of future wealth, and even
by the sudden accumulation of moder-
ate riches, the scoundrel who seeks
what he may devOur in the way of I'M
sophisticated grangers is abroad in the
land in variety of DISCUSSES. In the
shape of a wealthy stranger who.wants
TO buy every thing in sight for cash,
he is. perhaps, more irresistible than
in any other form, and it is of the
wealthy stranger, therefore, with whom
a few thousand dollars more or less is
of little account, that the careful
/ Hoosier should beware, The imam
from Virginia" who wants to buy a
farm should be asked to give his ref
erences or be properly introduced
Indianapolis journal.